We don't get enough Jewish representation, and even less Sefardi rep. So to see a book that celebrates that culture - my culture - that is so often unseen is so beautiful and meaningful. My Sefardi family assimilated into Ashkenazi culture, and we lost the language and foods and customs. To be able to take this book and through it reclaim my lost heritage is such a special gift. Everything was so vibrant and real, you could almost smell the food and hear the music. There aren't enough words to explain how much I loved this book.

This was a super sweet and gentle way of teaching kids about memory loss in elderly relatives. It was especially touching after seeing my grandma struggle with dementia before her passing. Beautiful pictures and I learned some cultural things as well! Loved it very much.

I love love love the illustrations - the colors - the movement - the culture - the story. The actual text is confusing at times and doesn't have true continuity - just not up to the high quality of the illustrations. 5 stars for illustrations, 2 for the text

An absolutely heartwarming and lovely story about Tali and her Nona. Reminded me of baking and cooking with my own Grandma and the sadness that comes with an aging grandparent. The illustration was stunning, vibrant and perfect.

In this book Tali goes to visit her Nona and they spend time together. They mix all sorts of different cultures, languages and foods which are all part of their shared heritage, the timeless time.

I am a bit torn about this book.

Lets start with the pros:
This book mixes fun aspects from different cultures. It opens up opportunities to speak about cultural differences and appreciating what is different. If this is a topic in your family, this might be reason enough for you to get this book.
The drawings are lively, vibrant and full of details to find and talk about.

The Con:
The concept if Timeless Time is never really explained. Even I as an adult am not quite sure, what the author meant to communicate with it. I read the authors note in the back (which explains the differences between linear, circular and timeless time). And yet during the story I got a different impression of it. To me it almost felt like Nona (Tales grandmother) is suffering from a form of Alzheimers and is sometimes list in old memories, the timeless time. But I don't think this is what the main author tried to say? Either way, I would find it challenging to talk about a concept with my kid which I don't fully grasp myself, especially when it isn't a daily topic in our lives.

Overall a solid book which I can recommend for children who have a family member who sometimes "lives in the timeless time"

Chantelle and Burgen Thorne do a phenomenal job on the illustrations and captivate the reader with their exquisite and intricate artwork. I loved seeing the details on every page and watching Nona dance and cook. In general, the concept of an intergenerational bond of a grandma sharing her history, food and memories with her granddaughter is fantastic, however, the book did have odd pacing issues. Especially as a book to read to children, the beginning was slightly confusing to start and the big theme of the book "the timeless time" was not addressed. This is a good way to teach children about memory loss and how it can affect the elders in their lives, but perhaps even a page or more to detail it would have bridged that gap.

Otherwise, the recipes in the middle of the book and the illustrations were some of my favourite parts.

Tali and the Timeless Time by Mira Z. Amiras is about a young Sephardic girl’s relationship with her grandmother and how that relationship changes over time with her grandmother’s memory loss. I was eager to read this book because there are not many children’s books (or books in general) with Sephardic women or girls as main characters, and I was interested to see how the author would write about a difficult topic for children.

The book starts with the main character’s grandmother not being lucid, and shows the thought process of the main character realizing her grandmother is experiencing the world differently than it is.

I think the glossary is helpful when reading to children in case they want the definition of one of the Sefardic/Ladino words in the book. I also appreciated the author’s note. The illustrations were beautiful and it was very cool to see Sefardic Judaica and cuisine in a children’s book. I would definitely read this book to my nephews and niece!

Tali is a young child, who visits her Nona quite often since they live next door, they love to cook and to dance, but nona seems to be in a timeless time, she gets the names a bit confused, and sometimes even forgets what she's doing, what is this time nona keeps talking about?
Talia might not get it yet, but she loves her nona regardless.

Such a beautiful book, the illustrations had me all over the moon, I couldn't get enough of them, one thing I love about children's book is they always teach you something, this book is not the exception.

Perfect for kids whose grandparents might be a little bit more forgetful recently. ( or adults who need to remember their nonas love them even if they get a bit confused at times )

Thanks to NetGalley For this book.

The artwork has rich colors and fun designs throughout. I enjoyed how time was expressed: linear, circular and Timeless. This is a beautiful story of a grandmother and granddaughter. Some people might distance themselves out of fear of age related problems like memory loss BUT not Tali. She embraces her Nona (even if she doesn't fully understand) and continues to learn about her family's culture and history. There is also plenty to learn about the Jewish culture from this book: food, geography and music.
Beautiful and heart warming.

Very cute picture book about Tali and her grandma. The grandma is slipping into her memories and imparting her culture to Tali.

I received a copy of this eBook from netGalley for a honest review.

I felt like the author was trying to tell us more then she wrote with this picture book. It just felt like it was deeper then the words I read but it is a beautiful story about a grandchild's love.

Gosh what a beautiful book! I was drawn in by the wonderful illustrations. Such care has been taken to align the art with the culture and atmosphere the author intended. It is full of rich traditions and the importance of family connections whilst also maintaining a light hearted approach great for kids to understand. You really get a sense of the world Mira Amitas grew up in and it’s clear she loved her Nona so much!

I am not sure I understood this book. I’m not sure it does a good job of explaining the timeless time. Because as I follow the story from page to page, it seems more like it’s describing a grandparent with Alzheimer’s. Then you have the story itself. At times it seems like it’s trying to rhyme and other times it doesn’t. Is this purposeful, is this not? Then there is the new words. They’re new words to me because I’m not of the culture. I appreciate this book, but I think it gets lost in what is trying to say. I do, however, love the illustrations and think the illustrator did a fabulous job, giving the feel of the culture from which this book resides.

I didn't really understand the point of the book until I read the author's note and I am not sure children would understand what timeless time is unless an adult understood and explained it to them. Although the idea of timeless time could have been explained better in the story, it is still a cute story about a little girl spending time with her grandma. The girl and her grandma make several dishes that are special to their family. I think this book could have focused or been more about the grandma and aging or even dementia and made more sense.
The illustrations are fun and it is cute that the girl and the grandma match outfits.

Thank you PW Grab a Galley for the eARC.

Tali and the Timeless Time (Hardcover)
by Mira Z. Amiras
Tali is spending her time with grandma. But grandma has a secret. The secret is not her garden or the cross cultural dishes she makes for Shabbat. But those moments when she remembers the things she loves, even if she is not able to have the energy to do all she remembers.

Beautiful illustrations! This book describes a weekend spent with Tali’s grandmother, embracing tradition even as her grandmother starts to forget things.

This is a gorgeous book. I loved how Tali's Jewish identity was suffused into every page. The illustrations were so joyous and truly a celebration of Sephardic Jewish culture, from its material cultural (the mezuzah, the hamsas, the hanukkiah and kiddush cups) to its food (bourekas, arroz, huevos). I particularly loved the inclusion of all the animals in the illustrations. The joy of the illustrations is slightly tempered by the text of the book, which deals with Tali's Nona's forgetfulness, as well as Tali's realization that she has to help her Nona instead of her Nona taking care of her. I also struggled a bit with the concept of "timeless time." Still, I loved the feeling the book evoked and the author's pride in her Sephardi identity.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This is such a beautiful book about Tali and her Nona cooking together, exploring family and the way in which Dementia/Alzheimer's impacts their interactions. It’s lovely to see Tali trying to figure out what is meant by the timeless time and keeping her on track and I think it’s actually a really sweet way to look at Dementia/Alzheimer's as a condition as well. The illustrations were also well done with some great detailing.

Tali has always loved spending time with Nona. One day, as the two prepare traditional Sephardic Jewish dishes, Tali notices that Nona is forgetful, calling her by the wrong name, expecting Tali to nap, and leaving the food on the stove while she dances with her zills and fans. As the day unfolds, Tali begins her journey to identify when Nona is in her Timeless Time, weaving past and present together, and learning how she can best navigate their changing relationship.

Tali and the Timeless Time is a story filled with empathy, compassion, curiosity, and love. As someone who has been a caregiver to an aging parent with dementia, this story touched my heart and left me feeling blessed Amiras decided to create such a lovely story complemented by stunning artwork. The blend of the author’s exquisite text alongside the rich and colorful artwork by Chantelle and Burgen Thorne is a stirring experience for young readers.

I highly recommend Tali and the Timeless Time to anyone with young children in their lives. It is a heartfelt, beautifully illustrated story that gently opens the door to meaningful conversations about memory, family, and love across generations.

This picture book was such a lovely surprise. Tali and the Timeless Time tells the story of a young girl and her grandmother, whose memory is slowly fading due to Alzheimer’s. It’s a gentle, heartfelt story about love, family, and holding on to special moments.
What really stood out to me was how much I learned about Ladino culture—something I knew very little about before reading. The references to traditional foods and customs were woven in so naturally, and the glossary at the end was super helpful without feeling too ‘educational.’
It’s one of those books that stays with you. Warm, emotional, and quietly powerful. A great conversation starter for kids (and adults) about memory, heritage, and the importance of family stories.